Iran: Clemente to lead national team

PTV - Iran says Spain's Javier Clemente has clinched a final deal to coach the national soccer team that has been without a leader for months.

The President of the Iranian Football Federation (IFF) Ali Kafashian announced that the 58-year-old Spaniard expressed his agreement to steer the national soccer team via a fax sent to IFF on Monday.

First deputy IFF chief, Mehdi Taj also confirmed the news, saying that the veteran La Liga manager will lead Iran's national team to the 2010 World Cup finals under a three-year contract.

The IFF chief is to sign the deal on Tuesday after approval by the International Committee of the federation.

Clemente had a four-day visit to Tehran to hold talks with Iranian football authorities before finalizing his deal.

He left the country on Thursday morning after watching the national team's training and goalless draw against Syria in the first World Cup qualification game of Asia group 5 on Wednesday.